Downright Depressing
The fallout from the widespread abuse and the subsequent coverup with the US Catholic Church continues as the Seattle Archdiocese offers up $47.5 million to 75 abuse victims. The diocese is in bankruptcy already, so the settlement will require the approval of the court, and it doesn't address any future complaints so it is probably not the end of it.
And, like Boston before it, the folks in Seattle - at least for purposes of their bankruptcy status - claim only $11 million in assets, so you can guess where this is headed. In Seattle, the diocese fought in court claiming they didn't "own" any of the parishes or associated real estate (I suspect to diminish their asset base) but the court ruled otherwise.
Although this ruling would likely please St. Louis's Archbishop Burke (who's trying to forcibly take control of a local parish's assets), what I suspect it means in Seattle is that lots of smaller parishes and schools will be closing soon. If you're looking for real estate in that area, the market may soon be flooded.
And, as was the case in Boston and will be the case across the country, the Church set up a culture that, at a minimum, allowed this to go on. They did nothing to stop it and, in fact, made the problem dramatically worse by not removing known offenders. They tried to hide it and, in doing so, exposed thousands of kids to molesters in positions of trust.
The result? The people who trusted the church with their most treasured assets, and who religously (no pun intended) forfeited their monetary assets, are going to have their schools and churches closed.
It's an outrage, no doubt, with thousands of families scarred and battered, and the shock waves continuing outward, widening the damage.
It's just depressing.
And, like Boston before it, the folks in Seattle - at least for purposes of their bankruptcy status - claim only $11 million in assets, so you can guess where this is headed. In Seattle, the diocese fought in court claiming they didn't "own" any of the parishes or associated real estate (I suspect to diminish their asset base) but the court ruled otherwise.
Although this ruling would likely please St. Louis's Archbishop Burke (who's trying to forcibly take control of a local parish's assets), what I suspect it means in Seattle is that lots of smaller parishes and schools will be closing soon. If you're looking for real estate in that area, the market may soon be flooded.
And, as was the case in Boston and will be the case across the country, the Church set up a culture that, at a minimum, allowed this to go on. They did nothing to stop it and, in fact, made the problem dramatically worse by not removing known offenders. They tried to hide it and, in doing so, exposed thousands of kids to molesters in positions of trust.
The result? The people who trusted the church with their most treasured assets, and who religously (no pun intended) forfeited their monetary assets, are going to have their schools and churches closed.
It's an outrage, no doubt, with thousands of families scarred and battered, and the shock waves continuing outward, widening the damage.
It's just depressing.
posted by John at 1:30 PM
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